Business, general

Those who can't .... If technology is going to transform our schools, the place to start is with the teachers

Article Abstract:

The movement to computerize US schools has often ignored the needs of teachers. Often, administrators have simply unloaded computer equipment in classrooms, expecting that untrained teachers would simply begin using it. Training, where it has existed, has often been poorly organized and ineffective. According to Robert McClintock, co-director for Learning Technologies at Columbia University's Teachers College, teacher-training programs often are rudimentary, focusing on basics. According to Sue Bastian, director of Teaching Matters Inc, a nonprofit group that trains teachers to use information technology, programs that push technology without making it clear what is being promoted and why tend to aggravate teacher resistance to computer training. Teachers sometimes resent this, characterizing training as boring, irrelevant or condescending. On the positive side, funding for educational technologies continues to grow, and concern about training teachers is gaining increased attention.

Computerized US classrooms must change their educational approach to help students solve problems, according to high-tech advocates. Students who conduct new projects, such as Internet research, need direct experiences to develop their own knowledge. John Dewey, a reformer, introduced a similar method in 1899. Dewey argued that schools should foster a child's innate qualities in learning. Students would acquire a deeper understanding of traditional subjects and learning methods by employing methods of the scientist, historian and artist. By comparison, the traditional 'chalk-and-talk' learning method combines rote learning with frequent threats of punishment. Only a fraction of US classrooms include integrated technology, and nobody has developed a single usage approach. Dewey's constructivist ideas have failed to gain wide acceptance in the US, because experts say its alleged faults include placing heavy demands on teachers.

Huey, Dewey, Louie and other classics

Article Abstract:

Books read during childhood can elicit long-held memories when they are recalled in adulthood, as they can influence a child's thoughts throughout his life, but their magic might disappear. The classics are less likely to influence thoughts than children's books.

Author: Epstein, Leslie

Publisher:The New York Times CompanyPublication Name:The New York Times Book ReviewSubject:Business, generalISSN:0028-7806Year:1997